USF hires Taggart as head football coach

Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - The University of South Florida has hired Western
Kentucky's Willie Taggart as its new head football coach.

Taggart coached WKU to a record of 16-20 over the previous three seasons,
including a 7-5 mark this year. The Hilltoppers will play Central Michigan
in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl on Dec. 26. It's not known if Taggart will
coach in that game.

South Florida will introduce Taggart at a 4 p.m. (et) press conference today.

This marks a return to the Tampa area for Taggart. A former quarterback
at WKU, Taggart was a prep standout at Manatee High School in Bradenton.

Prior to his time at WKU, Taggart was the running backs coach at Stanford from
2007-09. He also spent eight seasons as an assistant coach at WKU from
1999-2006.